Just got my first clones, 16 days old, rooted... they seem weak. Input needed please

Hi everyone, this is my first post here and my first grow. I just picked up some clones yesterday and put them into my netpots... they are looking unhealthy to me but this is my first time dealing w/ clones so I need some experienced input please...

This is my setup I am using for my 15 plant grow:
4'x8'x6.5' mylar tent
600w hps w/ vented hood (95k lumens) for a 4'x4' flower area
4' 8 bulb T5ho's (432w, 40k lumens) for a 4'x4' veg area
20g reservoir, PH maintained to 6. and ppm is 700, my tap water starts @ 100ppm
15 DWC bucket system w/ 6" netpots
Hydroton medium surrounding rockwool cubes the clones have rooted in
150cfm intake fan and 450cfm exhaust fan on rheostat
Temps average 77-80f
Strains: critical mass, blueberry, permafrost, blue dream

The person I got the clones from said he cut them 16 days ago using distilled water and clonex, and placed them into rockwool cubes in a domed tray. Around the 14th day he watered the clones w 6.5 ph water mixed w/ 1000ppm of nutes... this is when I recieved them and he told me to transplant them into my system and feed them 6.5 ph water and 700-1000ppm of nutes. Seems a little early to hit them w/ that much nutes doesn't it? I followed his instructions except I dropped my ph to 6 instead of 6.5 but my nutes are running 700ppm like he suggusted.
My clones look very small, frail, w/ drooping & spotted leaves is this what they should look like @ day 16?

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In a few of the pics you can see spotting on the leaves, and twisted leaves... is this normal and do these clones look like they are healthy?
I was thinking about trimming a few of the fan leaves that seem to be affecting the balance of the plant and sitting on the pots, should I trim them or no?
Does the feeding schedule sound good for clones or is it too strong? I was told to do this by a grower w/ over a decade of experience but 2 weeks of distilled water followed by 1000ppm nutes and then holding 700ppm after might be too strong for a clone under 3 weeks from what ive read...

Thanks for the help guys!

I cant answer your hydro questions ,but from experiance purchased clones usally take a week to readjust to there new home and recover from being transported and transplanted .

When I picked the clones up they were laid down on their sides in a small Rubbermaid container about 4"x8"... i assumed this would damage the leaves because the plants were laying horizontal but dude assured me this is how he does it every time. I figured they were his strains and hes been dealing with them for years so who am i to question his experience seeing as i have none myself lol.
The lid was left on the Rubbermaid container 1hr during the drive home and then the rockwool cubes/clones were transplanted into my netpots.

What are your thoughts on laying clones down vs keeping them vertical during a 1hr trip?

ph looks way out . get another meter to double check and get it to 6.

Thanks Buds! I just checked my ph and it was 7 so I dropped it back down to 6.
Good eye!

Bump....

If ph is kept in good range, How long "should" plant stress take to subside and normal growth to continue?

I think those clones are infested with spidermites.

Pipe Dream said:

I think those clones are infested with spidermites.

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They are super infested with mites! I didn't realize it until about a day after this post, so much for free clones...
A buddy recommended I get rid of the clones ASAP but I really want these strains so I am hoping to exterminate all of the mites.

So far I have been using Raid Earth Options, its active ingredients are pyrethrins and canola oil and its safe for fruits and vegetables etc. I drenched all of the plants and hyrdoton with the spray hoping to kill everything except the plants. I read that some people have good results "dipping" smaller plants in similar solutions to what I am spraying on so I figured drenching the plants would be the next best thing.

The plants do have roots developing at the bottom of the net-pots now but 3 of them are looking very unhealthy, those 3 are the ones I originally spotted the mites on.

I separated the clones from 2 other plants I have had vegging for a month but they were in the same tent for several days so I am hoping the mites didn't get a chance to migrate onto them because I am ready to flower those and don't want to spray them with anything.

Raid earth options killed all the mites, its been more than a week since I have seen a web or mite.
The clones are rapidly growing now YAY!

a little tip you may find helpful in the future when you buy clones that are already rooted take your net pots already filled with hydro clay in a little cooler nice and clean inside and then just put the clones in that i can hold a lot in a tiny cooler and it works great and very legit doesnt raise suspicion lol.

good to hear they are coming back too congrats

Thank you, from now on I will be using your method of transport for my clones and I will also be keeping them in a different room until I can confirm there are absolutely no pests.

Here are the clones as of 1/15/11, I received them 12/28 from my caretaker.
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I am trying to use my old Aerogarden to start roots on some clones I pulled from another plant. I am not sure how to "root clones" with the Aerogarden though... I have grown from seed to harvest with the Aerogarden and it works well for small closet grows. I have another post in the Aerogarden section, if I figure it out I will be using my own clones instead of risking infestation, paying for clones etc.
Once I get roots using the Aerogarden I will move the clones to 3 gallon DWC buckets to veg then to 5 gallon DWC buckets to flower.

View attachment 1384240

SC300drifter said:

Thank you, from now on I will be using your method of transport for my clones and I will also be keeping them in a different room until I can confirm there are absolutely no pests.

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great idea i picked up some clones from a buddy recently who had spider mites almost wipe out his entire crop. he said he got them under control but i took no risks my garden is vibrant and bug free and i aims to keep it that way so i put them in another room in a humidity dome untill i had treated them to my likings.

by the way plants are looking great and healthy very nice keep up the good work.